Lepchas have demanded that their language be taught as the third language at schools in areas dominated by the community in the Darjeeling hills.

The demand was raised during a meeting with Anit Thapa, the chief executive of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA), by community leaders at Lal Khoti in Darjeeling on Friday.

Lal Khoti is the administrative headquarters of the GTA. The delegation included Lyansang Tamsang, the chairman of the Mayel Lyang Lepcha Development Board (MLLDB) and the head of the Mayel Lyang Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association (MLILTA), Kalimpong MLA Ruden Sada Lepcha and nominated GTA Sabha member Paul Simick.

“Our aim is to protect our language and culture. That is why we want Lepcha to be introduced as a third language at schools situated in the Lepcha-dominated areas,” Tamsang told The Telegraph.

The Lepcha leader said to start with, the community wanted the language to be taught at 46 schools, which the Bengal government had identified some years ago. “We want to start with the schools identified by the education department of the Bengal government as a lot of issues like finances are involved in the language implementation,” said Tamsang.

Lepcha is considered as one of the oldest languages in the world by linguists.“Can you believe, we have five different dictionaries and detailed grammar books,” said Tamsang who added that the MLILTA had started working on textbooks a few decades back.

“The (Lepcha) board is also working on it,” said Tamsang.In Sikkim, Lepcha language was introduced as a subject at primary schools in 1975. The language can be studied till the university level in the Himalayan state.The population of the Lepcha community was pegged at around 1 lakh in the Darjeeling hills by Tamsang. The community is running 215 night classes where students are taught the Lepcha language.

“It is an initiative of the Mayel Lyang Indigenous Lepcha Tribal Association. We are now looking at enrolling even adults who are interested in learning the language at the 215 night schools,” said Tamsang.

Each of the night schools, which are largely run on contributions made by well-wishers, on an average attracts between 15 and 20 students. The figures reach around 50 when schools are shut for the winter vacation.GTA chief executive Thapa said the Lepcha association had raised a “very important issue of their community”. “I have taken this issue with all seriousness. I have promised them to discuss this issue with the concerned officials,” said Thapa.